Multiple can punch



Sept. 28, 1954 E. D. ARMSTRONG ET AL 2,690,006

MULTIPLE CAN PUNCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1955 IN VENTORS JOAA/ M. mess/4.4 EVE/9E7? 0. AEMSZQd VG,

BY Wwwmwm ATTORNEYS p 28, 1954 E. D. ARMSTRONG ET AL 2,690,006

MULTIPLE CAN PUNCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1955 m w 0 E M m w m 9w 1 A mm W 7 WW. W Y n u 2 3 Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE CAN PUNCH Everett D. Armstrong and John M. Gresham, Lufkin, Tex.

This invention relates to improvements in can punches, and more particularly to a novel and useful device for punching more than one can at a time, the device being especially, but not exclusively for use by bartenders in taverns, bars, clubs and the like, the primary object of the invention being to provide an efficient and easily operable device of this character which enables quickly, accurately, and easily punching at one time a plurality of such cans as beer cans in order that the serving of beverages or the like may be facilitated and speeded up.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above which is foot-operated, so as to leave the hands of the operator free for attendant work, and so as to be more easily and conveniently operable than any hand-operated device, and which is adaptable to be mounted on a support,

such as a counter, incorporated in a counter or bar, or to have its own floor-engaging support, such as a frame.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, specilic embodiments of the invention are set forth in detail.

Figure l is a left-hand side elevation, partly in transverse vertical section of one form of the invention, shown in operated condition in full lines;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation;

Figure t is a left-hand side elevation showing the device in starting condition;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line -5 of Figure l; and

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section, partly in side elevation, showing another form of the invention in starting or unoperated condition.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Figures 1 to 5 thereof, the device therein illustrated, and generally designated i, comprises a stand il involving front corner legs 9, {i and rear corner legs [9, H], the front and rear legs 23 and H at the same sides of the frame being spaced and braced by horizontal stretcher bars 5 l, l l. The legs are preferably in the form of metal pipes but may be of any other suitable form and material.

The stand 8 is completed by side angle irons l2, l2 and front and rear angle irons l3 and [4, respectively, which are joined together by suitable means, at the corners of the frame 8 at the upper ends of the legs, the angle irons being overlaid by a preferably metal plate it, which is secured in suitable manner to the angle irons, and provides a substantially square table top.

Flat bar standards Hi, iii are secured at their lower ends in suitable manner to the outer sides of the depending flanges H, H of the side angle irons l2, l2 and the standards I6, it have free upper ends 28, it through which are journaled the related ends of a shaft or axle is which extends between the standards parallel to the table top plate l5. Retaining collars 2t, 2t and washers 2U, 26 are positioned on the shaft [9 at the outer sides of the standards l6, l6 and are provided with set screws 2i, 2i securing them to the shaft l9.

A radial lever arm 22 fixed to a middle part of the shaft It extends in a rearward direction and has a free rear end 23 which reaches rear wardly beyond the stand 8. A vertical connecting rod or pitman 24 has an upper end pivoted to the free end 23 of the lever 22, as indicated at 25, and has a lower end pivoted, as indicated at 26, to the rear free end (ll of a foot-operated lever 28, having a treadle 29 on its forward end.

The foot-operated lever 23 is fixed, by means of a collar 30 having a set screw 3 l, on an intermediate part of a shaft or axle 32 whose opposite ends are journaled through the stretcher bars II, It at points between and spaced from. the front and rear stand legs 9, 9 and Ill, 19. Cotter pins 33, (it are secured on the ends of the shaft 32 at the outer sides of the stretched bars H, H. The treadle 29 preferably reaches forwardly beyond the front of the stand 8, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5.

A stretched contractile spring 35 is secured at its upper end, as indicated at 35, to a part of the lever arm 22 at a point near the rear end thereof, and at its lower end to a rear part of the table top plate It, as indicated at El, for returning the lever arm 22, and hence the shaft is to a retracted starting or unoperated position, from an operated position.

Fixed, as by welding, to the underside of the shaft 19 and projecting tangentially therefrom in a forward direction, are two similar cutter carrying plates or bars 38, 38 which are spaced from each other along the shaft l9 and are spaced from the standards l5, 16.

The cutter carrying bars 38, 38 have longitudinal slots 39, 3% through which rise studs Ali, to located near opposite ends of punch or cutter plates 4!, d! engaging the undersides of the bars as indicated at 3 38, 38, and wing nuts 42, 42 are threaded on the studs 40, 40 and clampingly engage the upper sides of the bars 38, 38 and provide for longitudinal adjustment of the cutter plates 4|, 4| relative to the bars 38, 38.

On the forward ends of the punch or cutter plates 4|, 4| are downwardly and forwardly directed declining relatively small punches or blades 43, 450i inverted triangular shape, as shown in Figure 3, and provided with cutting edges 44, 44.

On the rear ends of the cutter plates 4|, 4| are similar, larger, and right angularly arranged blades or punches 45, 45.

Extending across the table top plate I5 between the standards l6, H5 at the forward edges of the standards |6, H5 and secured thereto in suitable manner, is a vertical backing plate 41, which rises to a level close to the underside of the shaft H) .or to a level in the region of the upper ends 48, 48

of cans 49, 40 placed upon the table top plate 15, beneath the punch plates 4|, 4|.

Semi-circular positioning and guiding flanges 5t, 50 are secured in suitable manner to and rise from the table top plate I5, in concentric relation to the centers of the cutter plates 4|, 4| are secured together at their laterally inward ends, The laterally outward ends of the flanges 50, 50 are rounded or outwardly curved, as indicated at 52, to facilitate and guide the entry of cans 49, 40 into proper position within the flanges 50, 50 and into proper relationship to the punch plates 4 I, 4|, so that as the punch plates 4|, 4| are swung downwardly from the starting position, shown in Figure 4 to the operated position shown in Figure 1, the front and rear blades 43, 43 and 45, 45 will punch the tops 53, 53 of the cans 49, 40 at diametrically opposed and spaced points, the rear larger blades 45, 45 entering first, followed by the smaller front blades 43, 43.

The above described operation of the punch plates 4|, 4| is produced simply by stepping downwardly upon the treadle 29. The cans 49, 49, properly punched, can then be removed, practically upon release of the treadle 29, because the spring 35 acts quickly to restore the punch plates to elevated retracted starting position.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, and generally designated 1a, the stand 3a is in the form of a bar counter having a counter or bar top T, and vertical supports 9a, all supported on a floor F. In this instance a table top member resting upon and secured to the bar tOp T comprises a table top plate liia supported on depending flanges Ha. The standards His, |6a rise from the outer sides of the flanges Ila, and the remainder of the mechanism is the same as the form of Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, with the exceptions that the pitman 240: passes downwardly through a hole H provided in a rear part of the bar top T, and the foot-operated lever 28a is pivotally mounted on bracket means Ha fixed to and rising from the floor F.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multiple can punch, a support, a table top structure including a table top plate, said structure being on an upper part of said support, standard means fixed on said structure and rising above said table top plate, first rotary horizontal shaft means journaled on said standard means and having a fixed lever arm projecting from one side thereof, multiple cutter carrying bars spaced along said shaft means and projecting from another side of said shaft means and over said table top plate, punch plates mounted on said carrying bars having punch blades thereon, second hori zontal rotary shaft means journaled on said support below said table top structure, a foot-operated lever pivoted at a point intermediate its ends on said second shaft means, a treadle on one end of said foot-operated lever, a vertical pitman having an upper end pivoted to said lever arm and having a lower end pivoted to the other end of said foot-operated lever, and retracting spring means stretched between said lever arm and a part of said table top structure, said multiple cutter carrying bars comprising at least two laterally spaced cutter carrying bars each having a punch plate thereon, each of said punch plates having spaced blades thereon, said table top plate having semi-circular guide flanges rising thereon in concentric relation to the punch plates for positioning cans concentrically beneath the punch plates on said table top plate, the punch blades of the punch plates being positioned to punch two holes in the top of each of the cans present within the guide flanges on the table to plate at the same time as the treadle is depressed from an elevated position.

2. In a multiple can punch, a support, a table top structure including a table top plate, said structure being on an upper part of said support, standard means fixed on said structure and rising above said table top plate, first rotary horizontal shaft means journaled on said standard means and having a fixed lever arm projecting from one side thereof, multiple cutter carrying bars spaced along said shaft means and projecting from another side of said shaft means and over said table top plate, punch plates mounted on said carrying bars having punch blades thereon, second horizontal rotary shaft means journaled on said support below said table top structure, a foot-operated lever pivoted at a point intermediate its ends on said second shaft means, a treadle on one end of said foot-operated lever, a vertical pitman having an upper end pivoted to said lever arm and having a lower end pivoted to the other end of said foot-operated lever, and retracting spring means stretched between said lever arm and a part of said table top structure, said multiple cutter carrying bars comprising at least two laterally spaced cutter carrying bars each having a punch plate thereon, each of said punch plates having spaced blades thereon, said table top plate having semi-circular guide flanges rising thereon in concentric relation to the punch plates for positioning cans concentrically beneath the punch plates on said table top plate, the punch blades of the punch plates being positioned to punch two holes in the top of each of the cans present Within the guide flanges on the table top plate at the same time as the treadle is depressed from an elevated position, one of the punch blades of each punch plate being smaller than the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 681,205 Farrell Aug. 27, 1901 2,284,066 Ostrander May 26, 1942 2,520,068 Seiler Aug. 22, 1950 2,556,731 Lapierre June 12, 1951 

